“It’s in coordination with the officials on the ground working relief efforts and they’ve assured us the goods will get to where they need to go,” said Judy Adams with the Alabama State Port Authority. Supplies are being gathered in Mobile and other Gulf Coast ports, eventually, it will be sent to an American port in the Everglades before going to the damaged island nation. The logistically difficult task spearheaded by Mediterranean Shipping Company.

“They’re the second-largest global container company in the world and Mediterranean Shipping Company has a huge transport shipping hub in Port Freeport, Bahamas,” said Adams. The hurricane has so damaged the Bahamas that it’s also limited the country’s ability to take in ships, often those ships are coming with much-needed supplies and aid.

“The government and port officials in the Bahamas are coordinating one vessel in, one vessel out, they have to use small ships, not the typical ships that call the port of Mobile,” said Adams.

The Port Authority is collecting supplies at their locations on Water Street and Ezra Trice Boulevard up until 5 Thursday evening. The Mobile County Commission also opened up a drop-off spot in the Atrium of Government Plaza that will take supplies until 3 Thursday afternoon.